Friday the 13th

13 Facts About Friday the 13th (and the number 13)


Every year has at least one and no more than three Friday the 13th's.

The longest period that can occur without a Friday the 13th is fourteen months.

If the first day of the month falls on a Sunday, that month will have a Friday the 13th.

According to Smithsonian Magazine "fear of the number 13 costs America almost $900 million dollars per year in absenteeism, train and plane cancellations, and reduced commerce on the 13th of the month."

There is no written evidence of a "Friday the 13th superstition" before the 19th century.

Theories state the fear of "Friday the 13th" is based on a combination of the thought of Friday being an unlucky day and 13 being an unlucky number.

Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the technical name for fear of Friday the 13th. Most people think the term is triskaidekaphobia, but that is the name for fear of the number 13.

According to the Stress Management Center and Phobia Institute an estimated 17 to 21 million people in the U.S. are affected by a fear of this day.

Over 90 percent of Otis elevators do not have a 13th floor.

There are 13 steps leading to the gallows. There are 13 knots in a hangman's noose. It is 13 feet which the guillotine blade falls.

Apollo 13, 1970, the 13th mission launched from pad #39 (13 x 3), mission was aborted, after an explosion occurred in the fuel cell of their service module. The rocket had left launcing pad at 13:13 CST and the date was April 13th. (I watched that movie again last Sunday. Man, it's good. And at the end, I just cried and cried when they made it back. Even though I knew they would. Because I've seen it before. But there's just that scene where they are all waiting and waiting and waiting. "Odyssey, this is Houston, do you read?" It's quite emotional, don't you think? And Gary Sinese is just hot in case you were wondering.)

The 13th day of the month is slightly more likely to be a Friday than any other day of the week, with Monday being the next most likely day.

The U.S. Navy will not launch a ship on Friday the 13th.

OK, now you know. Hope today is a lucky one for you people. Hope you aren't freaked out by it because guess what? March brings another Friday the 13th!